In The Raw
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: After a case involving some exotic cuisine and some even more exotic serving arrangements Stella gets Mac to go to try something new for dinner - sushi. SMACKED fluffy One-Shot. Based on eppy 1.04 'Grand Master'


**Title: In The Raw**

**Summary:** After a case involving some exotic cuisine and some even more exotic serving arrangements Stella gets Mac to go to try something new for dinner. SMACKED fluffy One-Shot. Based on eppy 1.04 'Grand Master'

**Disclaimer: **If you don't know by now you need to read my other stories! Lol

**A/N: **Alright we are trying to get back into the eppy one shot game again (obviously not the new season! Lol) and went back to season 1 b/c we love it so and have picked this eppy and hope you like what Alice and I came up with!

_Note: Words in italics surrounded by __double__ quotes taken from the eppy

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When Stella had mentioned that we go out for dinner after our cases were finished to just compare notes and get to know each other better as friends I was hesitant at first.

_'Want to get some dinner Mac? Just a friendly bite to eat with your partner?'_

_'I have…'_

_'Come on Mac, I know you are just going to go home to a flat beer,' Stella had tossed at me. 'Or worse, nothing.'_

_'Okay. Did you want to go to the diner next door?' I had asked her about half hour earlier._

_'Actually I'm in the mood for some fish.'_

_'Fish? They have fish next door.'_

_'Tell you what Mac, let me just finish this report and then I'll take you to dinner.'_

_'Okay where?'_

_'That'll be the surprise.'_

I should have just insisted on my way as now I sit here trying to finish my field notes on the 'Grand Master' case but all my mind wants to do is anticipate what Stella's cryptic smile wasn't telling me. Where are we going for dinner? _It's just dinner, _my brain tries to explain to me, but as always I want to see beyond those few simple words.

I look back down at the file in my fingertips; my brain frantically trying to switch back to case mode so that I can get this over with and then get my dinner. However, if I die of a heart attack right now then I won't have to worry about it. _Over reacting a bit? _My brain chides and I can only offer a heavy sigh before I lean back in my chair; my mind replaying a funny anecdote when I first met up with Sheldon in autopsy.

_"Like the Michael Jordan of vinyl," Sheldon said._

_"You should hear Aiden talk about this whole DJ world. You close your eyes, she sounds like Queen Latifa."_

_"What do you know about Queen Latifa?" Sheldon smirked._

_"It's my job to know a little something about everything."_

All in all it was an interesting case, a suspect that we didn't really guess at first but the evidence pointed us to our killer and the case was finished.

But it was Stella's case that had me then and still now wondering if her fish comment had something to do with it.

_'Sushi Mac…on naked women.'_

_'Pardon?' He had asked, nearly chocking on his coffee; Stella leaving him with only a giggle to ponder in her absence._

"Are we going for sushi tonight?" I muse to myself quietly. "No Stella knows I'm not an adventurous eater and have certainly never tried raw fish."

Stella had told me about hers and Danny's reaction when they first entered the exotic dining establishment and were met with a nearly naked Asian woman being used as a table while a group of business men got to enjoy more than just a tasty morsel.

_"Ah that can't be sanitary," Stella stated._

_"Who cares about sanitary! Where can I see the menu?" Danny smirked. _

_"You know I heard about these naked sushi parties but a restaurant? Can you focus?"_

_"I'm all over it."_

I could almost feel Stella's abject shock as she recalled the anecdote before her and Danny went to talk to the chef, but even then, when she was telling me the story about them inside the unique restaurant, I had to wonder if she was enjoying my un-comfortableness a bit too much.

_'Hey Mac you uh…you gotta try that place,' Danny had told me in a quiet tone, drawing a curious glance from Stella._

_'No Danny it's not really my thing.'_

_'Naked women isn't your thing?'_

_'Not with…I have a case to wrap up.'_

_'Right well Mac…think about that thing okay?'_

And then Stella mentioned dinner and I can't help but wonder if that's what she now has in mind. _Oh stop stressing already! _My brain scolds. _Stella is your partner and close friend, she would never do anything to embarrass you or put you into a situation where you'd be mad at her._

But before I am allowed to stress about Stella's absence too much, my amazing partner appears in my doorway, watching me with the smile that always makes me feel a little bit weaker in the knees.

"Ready for some fugu?" Stella smirks, referring to the blowfish that was suspected of killing her victim the night before.

"Fugu?" I arch my brows, my anxiety now starting to build.

"I want fish right?"

"Stella…"

"Relax Mac, we aren't going for that or for what it's served on," she puts my mind at ease, obviously referring to the reference of the naked sushi restaurant.

I give her a nod as I slowly stand up and head for my coat, my fingers gently tugging at the knot on my tie but not pulling it fully loose.

"Course I think in the right setting it could be…"

"Unsanitary?" I suggest and she just giggles as we get into the elevator. We have only worked a few cases so far together but already Stella's nearness is starting to affect me in ways I had given up on. She forces my mind to ponder, for even a seconds, thoughts that have been dormant for some time and I have to wonder what her prolonged effect on me will be. For now, I'm just going to enjoy tonight and try not to overanalyze things; although I know even that in itself will be tough.

"I had the word sexy in mind."

"Sexy? Stella that was raw fish. Not exactly a sexy food. Now if you had said…" I stop as we reach the main floor. But instead of just letting it go and allowing me to forgo my nervous embarrassment over my next few words, she loops her arm in mine and forces me to continue.

"Had said what Mac?" She playfully goads as we step out onto the busy streets.

"Uh nothing. So where is this _fish _you want so badly?"

"Oh come on you have to tell me now."

"Really it was nothing."

"Just try to relax Mac," Stella says softly as she turns us in the opposite direction that I had been planning to go.

"I am relaxed," I offer my lie.

"Mac your arm is so tense it feels like I could break it. Now I know I am strong but…" her voice trails off, ending in a smile while my lips twitch upward into a small smirk. "You were going to say something along the lines of whipped cream and chocolate sauce?"

"I uh…sure that would work…" I clear my throat, my eyes kept forward; however, my heart continues to race and now my core is on fire. Sadly, at her own doing, my mind is now trying very hard _not to _picture my partner's perfect body with only a few edible toppings on it.

"So Aiden and I…"

"Did I embarrass you?" Stella asks softly.

"Just took me by surprise is all."

"Right and you like to anticipate everything that comes your way," Stella nods slowly.

"Less disappointment that way," I try to justify myself.

"It's okay Mac," she gives my arm a small squeeze, drawing my eyes to the right to lock with hers; my actions rewarded with a tender smile. "It was a shock for me first as well. I mean I have seen a lot of strange stuff in this city but that was one for the books."

"And I heard how much fun you and Danny had cutting up the fish in the lab."

_"Bet you wish you had become a lawyer right now."_

_"These fishes have stiches."_

"It's a good thing I have strong stomach because the smell was something else. Well you and Aiden got to do dumpster duty and fish your evidence out of a dirty toilet bowl."

"Yeah but thankfully we didn't have to eat anything that came from inside what we were looking in," I counter and she is quick to agree. "But I'll give you another first in your case."

"The deadly table?" Stella arches her brows and this time it's my turn to agree.

_"So much for the murderer being at the table," Danny had noted._

_"The murderer is the table," Stella added._

We walk a bit further talking about our cases and then finally come to a stop outside of a restaurant I had never been to. I look at the type of food and instantly my nervousness starts to build.

"Stella," I try to pull away in protest.

"Trust me Mac, this sushi place serves you food on china plates, placed down on a regular wooden table; nothing that moves in there but us."

"And they have stuff there besides just the raw stuff right?"

"They do. Come on Mac you know I'll never take you anywhere you hate."

Somehow I allow her to convince me that I am a willing participant in this new culinary adventure; letting her lead me into the small intimate restaurant and then up to a private booth.

"We have to take off our shoes?" I just arch my brows in suspect as I watch her unzipping her tall, black boots.

"Come on Mac, I know you have clean socks," she winks and I just shake my head in disbelief. _Of course I have clean socks! _But without another word of protest, I take off my shoes and coat and then slowly ease myself down into the oddly shaped booth to await the next phase of this interesting journey.

The Japanese waitress comes with two menus and Stella orders us some tea and asks for a minute. I pick up one of the menus and then look over at Stella who is just watching me intently.

"What?"

"See anything you like?"

"You should ask if I see anything I recognize," I reply with a small frown and she just smiles.

"Raw or cooked?"

"Will I uh…cooked."

"Yes you will like the raw stuff," she finishes the very thought I was going to ask. _How does she do that? _I would be lost trying to pick out her thoughts and yet she is able to so easily finish mine. _She's a woman, give it up now._

"Just go easy on me," I close the menu and hand it to her. She ponders the items for a few minutes; allowing me to just revel in the delight I get from watching her animated facial expressions. After a few minutes she closes her menu and our quiet waitress reappears. She asks for a few items and all I can do is sit here and nod. _Oh what I have I gotten myself into?_

"What did you order me?"

"Us," Stella promptly corrects. "I ordered _us _a share platter so that you can try a little bit of everything; some raw and some cooked."

"Okay so is there anything else I need to know before our meal arrives?"

"Do you know how to eat with these?" She holds up a pair of chopsticks.

"I should," I huff as I open my paper package and then try to fiddle with them in my fingers.

Of course I have no clue what on earth I am doing and so merely allow Stella's delicate hand to cover mine, repositioning the chopsticks so that I am able to at least _look _like I know what I am doing; which of course is the opposite of what I am actually doing. My heart is about to give way as I picture myself dropping a piece of the raw fish on my lap the first time I try to eat it.

However, the longer Stella's fingers linger on mine, I am being made aware of another feeling growing inside. Her skin is causing mine to burn in several places; oh not literally of course, but figuratively and I find myself _not _wanting to pull away. I let her fingers remain and look up slowly, her eyes once again locking with mine but no words offered. She slightly cocks a brow and my lips twitch and the moment is lost. Lost but not forgotten.

"Right…well thank you," I gently clear my throat as my fingers get used to the foreign object still wedged between them. I feel the heat now starting to make my neck heat up a bit more so as soon as she pulls away, my free hand tugs once again at the knot around my shirt collar, thankfully loosening it and allowing some cool air to travel downward, trying in vain to reach my flaming core. But to no avail; I already have new feelings growing inside me that, unbeknownst to me right at this moment, will continue to grow, developing into something more than friendship with the amazing woman before me.

"Mac, you okay?"

"Just a bit nervous about dropping something."

"That one you won't have to eat," she assures me playfully in a soft tone and my face relaxes a little bit more. The first modest sized platter comes and I right, I have no idea what on earth most of this stuff is.

"This is…the only thing I recognize," I point to the small pieces of the telltale California Roll.

"This one is cooked, try it," Stella suggests. However, I pause to watch her expertly pick up a piece of what I assume is raw tuna, secure it between the two flimsy wooden stakes and then gracefully put it between her perfect lips. "Easy," she smiles and I just shake my head.

"Easy," I mumble as I ready my sticks and prepare to go in and conquer. I zero in on a small role and try to pick up the first piece, only to watch it slip from my sticks and land back on the platter, forcing my face to instantly enflame. I nervously look up at Stella who thankfully says nothing in return, only smiles as I try once more. I succeed in getting the small piece into the air and thankfully into my mouth without dropping it into my small soy sauce tray.

"Easy," Stella repeats. "This is raw tuna and you will like it."

I give her a nod and attack the dark red piece of raw fish, hesitating at first before I eat it but then accepting the raw fish and finding myself actually enjoying it.

"Let me guess you were prepared to not like it?"

"You really need to stop doing that," I retort and she just giggles as she points me to another piece. However, this is her game to win and as soon as I swallow I see just how much of a bad player I really am. "That was Unagi, Eel."

"What?" I practically choke and she laughs at my mortified expression.

"Oh come on now Mac, how was it really?"

"Alright it was fine," I must confess and she just offers me a triumphant smile of defeat. "Yes you win, I am enjoying this," I tell her in truth as I reach for a piece of raw salmon.

"That's all I was hoping for Mac; you to enjoy yourself."

Stella explains a few more items that are brought, thankfully most of these ones cooked and my nervousness subsides, allowing me to nearly fully relax and enjoy the remainder of the evening.

"Having fun?" Stella asks as we take a small break, just enjoying our time to get to know each other a little better on a personal level.

"Actually," I pause, allowing my lips to reward her with a genuinely warm smile, "I am. And you?"

"I am Mac and I have a feeling this is just a first for us."

"A…first?" I ask with a small frown.

She leans in closer, her cheek nearing mine and my heart starting to speed up a bit faster, the chopsticks in my fingers threatening to fall to the table in an embarrassing display of male weakness. Her lips rest on the tip of my ear and I definitely feel electrical sparks all the way down to my feet.

"There will be a second," she whispers before she pulls back and looks at me with a warm smile; our faces still inches apart. She falls all the way back to her side of the table, saying nothing more but obviously delighting in the power she has to force my mind, even without words, to ponder the thought that is now growing inside my mind and heart. _When and where will be your second?_

I take the offering from her chopsticks and smile as best I can. Next time it will be my turn to take her by surprise. At this point I don't know about the second date but I know that after that small confession, whether real or a small façade on her part to just play with my mind, I know that I'll never look at our friendship in the same way again. She's just forced me to up my game and that was something I wasn't prepared for. Life, I am quickly learning from her is highly unpredictable and right now? I'm no longer able to just anticipate everything and my perfect equation for spending the rest of my life alone now seems moot. But why am I suddenly not bothered by that?

"Here Mac, try this one," Stella breaks my thoughts with her soft words.

She offers me something new, another first and while I ponder those words I am now finding myself in uncharted territory; I don't want this night to end. However, as I take the new offering I know right now that one other thing is certain, if tonight ends it won't be our last outing. I'll make sure of that. A second, in the raw, is coming for sure.

**THE END!

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**A/N: **Well I think we are still a bit rusty at these but wanted to done a bit lighter since the last eppy OS we did was a lot more angsty. We had thought about going them eating food off each other route but already did both an M and T rated one on the eppy 'sloshing' (and a few chappies in ABC's) so hope this one was still good and please review, lets us know you want more and thanks in advance!

Have a good weekend SMACKIES! :D


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